Full Face Mask vs Regular Scuba Diving Mask

You go up to a store where they sell scuba gear and equipment to get yourself a new diving mask. Your old one kicked the bucket, and it’s about time you have a new one. But oh, what’s this? The salesclerk seems to have diverted your attention from the shelf of regular diving mask and regulators to interest you in full-face diving masks.

”But what’s the difference?”

You ask yourself. You’re sure that it just doesn’t differ in the looks, right? Right.

What exactly is the difference between a full-face diving mask and the regular diving mask? Well, there are plenty, and each one will be a factor on how your next dive experience will be like. Let’s first talk about the full-face diving mask.

It’s a diving mask that covers your whole face (obviously). Having your mouth free from biting on a regulator’s mouthpiece to breathe is a big relief to some people. People who have jaw problems usually stick with this mask as it provides them the comfort they need throughout the dive.

And since your mouth is not occupied by biting that mouthpiece, you can use it freely to communicate. If you happen to have a communication equipment installed in your full-face diving mask that allows audio communication, you can chatter away in the ocean depths to your fellow diving buddies.

Another advantage of a full face diving mask is that you can breathe with your nose. It’s not much, but it matters to some people. Hey, it’s not everyday you can use your nose to breath underwater, can you? Thought so.

Breathing through your nose lets you have a more natural respiratory rhythm. The very comfortable, yet very airtight seal around your face caters for a cozy diving experience too.

It ain’t perfect

Like other things of this imperfect world, the full face diving mask has its own set of disadvantages. Since the whole thing covers your whole face snugly, that “snugly” means that you’ll have an ugly time taking it off. This means switching to an alternative air supply will be harder, and using a snorkel becomes tasking.

The full-face diving mask is harder to maintain. And even if it seems impossible to flood, it sometimes does. And when it does, it’s more difficult to clear than your normal scuba diving face mask. But looking back at the advantages, will these shortcomings make a big difference to you?

On the other hand

The traditional diving mask makes all the disadvantages of the full-face one its advantages. It’s easier to put on and take off, and it’s easier to clear when it’s flooded. It also makes switching to an alternative source of air supply as easy as pie. And who doesn’t like pie?

In addition to this, regular diving masks are available with different styles, colors, and sizes depending on you. Now isn’t that splendid? Splendid, yes – but not perfect.

Since I said it’s easier to clear when it’s flooded, you probably already had an inkling that I was implying that it floods easier compared to the full-face diving mask.

You also can’t use your nose to breathe, but most of us are trained to breathe from the mouth anyway.

On top of that, biting on a mouthpiece may cause jaw fatigue, and having an occupied mouth doesn’t give you a chance to have the ability to communicate audibly in any way.

Eenie Meenie Miney Mo…

There are plenty of things to consider with choosing between the regular or full-face diving masks. But since both of them have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages, you decide. So long as they are true to their very purpose, it’s all the same to me. But right now, since the full-face is more expensive, I think I’ll stick with the regular scuba diving mask.

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